^4 on the Sivedijh academy. J an, li. 



cietj, without using any other influence than that 

 of persuasion and of truth. It is this great found- 

 er, gentlemen, who judges of your talents, and has 

 collected them here ; as for me, mj age will not 

 permit me long to participate your labours, and I 

 cannot flatter myself that I fhall be regretted. 

 These meetings will always be illustrious by your 

 knowledge and talents, when I fhall be forgotten." 



£,xtract from the speech cf the Count de Fersen, 

 senator -and Jield marjhal of Sivedefi. 

 " Sweden having always preserved its indepen- 

 dence, and never having been subject to those re- 

 volutions which change the manners and t^e lan- 

 guage of a nation, it is astonifliing that the Swe- 

 difh language has undergone so great changes. A- 

 mong several causes that might contribute to it, 

 the principal, perhaps, has been the introduction of 

 arts and sciences by foreigners, who, being little 

 acquainted with the resources of the language, to 

 exprefs their ideas, have introduced Words and 

 phrases, borrowed from other languages, and cor- 

 rupted the primitive nature of that of the country, 

 it has pleased the king, always attentive to the 

 glory of the nation, and eager to augment the love 

 and esteem of the Swedes for their country, to 

 give us the privilege to extend even to its language 

 the predilection that our country merits in so 

 many other respects. In the institution of this 

 academy, the king hath devised the surest means 

 to attain the end he had proposed ; and the happy 

 choice of the members ought to afsure him of suc- 

 cefs. As to me, the honour of belonging to you,r 



